Short answer: the Anker Soundcore Mini. It ranks #13 of 47 small speakers by sound quality at $30; the Bose Soundlink Micro ranks #19 and costs $90, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Anker Soundcore Mini gets right: Has an FM tuner, aux input and MicroSD. The catch: Not quite as deep of bass as higher ranked speakers.
What the Bose Soundlink Micro offers: Rugged rubberized coating, IP67 rated (1m submersion for 30 minutes). Watch for: Lack of clarity.
Buy the Anker Soundcore Mini. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Bose Soundlink Micro and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Anker Soundcore Mini is rated for 15 hours versus 6 hours for the Bose Soundlink Micro.
If water resistance matters to you, the Bose Soundlink Micro at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Anker Soundcore Mini at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Anker Soundcore Mini | Bose Soundlink Micro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $30 | $90.00 |
| Ranked | #13 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #19 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | No |
| FM Tuner | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes | - |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs / 200 g | 0.6 lbs / 289 g |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 | 4.2 |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours | 3 hours |
| Output Power | 5W | 5W |
| Dimensions | 3.7" x 3.6" x 3.6" (94 x 92 x 91 mm) | 3.9" x 3.9" x 1.4" (98 x 98 x 35 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 2" (50mm) full-range driver + 1x passive radiator | 40mm with dual passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 66Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 50ms |
| Max Volume | - | 90dB |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Tribit PocketGo vs Bose Soundlink Micro 2
- Ultimate Ears Miniroll vs JBL Clip 5
- Bose Soundlink Micro 2 vs Soundcore Select 4 Go
- Soundcore Mini 3 Pro vs Bose Soundlink Micro
- Marshall Willen II vs Anker Soundcore Mini
The Two Speakers In Full
Anker Soundcore Mini: $30 Amazon
Pros: Has an FM tuner, aux input and MicroSD. Quite cheap
Cons: Not quite as deep of bass as higher ranked speakers. No waterproofing
Full Anker Soundcore Mini review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 2.5 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.7" x 3.6" x 3.6" (94 x 92 x 91 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 2" (50mm) full-range driver + 1x passive radiator |
| EQ | No |
| FM Tuner | Yes |
| IP Rating | None |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 5W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.4 lbs / 200 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Ultimate Ears Miniroll
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Marshall Willen
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Klipsch Austin
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Marshall Willen II
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs B&O Beoplay P2
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Soundcore Mini 3
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Soundcore Mini 3 Pro
- Anker Soundcore Mini vs Bose Soundlink Micro 2
- See all 23 comparisons
Bose Soundlink Micro: $90.00 Amazon
Pros: Rugged rubberized coating, IP67 rated (1m submersion for 30 minutes). Very compact and pocketable at 0.68 lb.
Cons: Lack of clarity. Overly boosted bass
Full Bose Soundlink Micro review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 66Hz |
| Battery Life | 6 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 50ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3.9" x 3.9" x 1.4" (98 x 98 x 35 mm) |
| Drivers | 40mm with dual passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 90dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 5W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Bose Party mode) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 289 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Bose Soundlink Micro 2
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Clip 5
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Clip 4
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs B&O Beoplay P2
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Klipsch Austin
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Soundcore Select 4 Go
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs Marshall Willen
- Bose Soundlink Micro vs JBL Go 5
- See all 22 comparisons


